ERIC ED465864: Consultation Process on the European Commission's "Memorandum on Lifelong Learning": Analysis of National Reports. CEDEFOP Panorama Series.

56 Pages·2002·0.8 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 465 864 CE 083 396
AUTHOR
Ni Cheallaigh, Martina, Ed.
Consultation Process on the European Commission's
TITLE
"Memorandum on Lifelong Learning": Analysis of National
Reports. CEDEFOP Panorama Series.
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training,
INSTITUTION
Thessaloniki (Greece).
REPORT NO CEDEFOP-Ser-23; TI-42-02-618-EN-C
ISBN-92-896-0127-2
ISBN
ISSN-1562-6180
ISSN
2002-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
55p.
AVAILABLE FROM
CEDEFOP, P.O. Box 22427, Thessaloniki, GR-55102 Greece. Tel:
30 31 49 01 11; Fax: [phone]; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site:
http://www.trainingvillage.gr/. For full text:
http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/download/publication/panorama
/5127 _en.pdf. Also available in French:
http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/download/publication/panorama
/5127 _fr.pdf. Also available in German:
http://www2.trainingvillage.gr/download/publication/panorama
/5127 _fr.pdf.
PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070)
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS Access to Education; Adult Basic Education; Basic Skills;
Citizenship; *Comparative Education; *Educational
Environment; Educational Objectives; Educational Trends;
Employment; Employment Potential; Foreign Countries;
Functional Literacy; Informal Education; *Labor Force
Development; *Lifelong Learning; Literacy Education;
Nonformal Education; Nontraditional Education; *Outcomes of
Education; Program Implementation; Regional Characteristics
IDENTIFIERS
*European Union
ABSTRACT
This document presents outcomes of a review of the
Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (LL) consultation reports from member states
of the European Commission and EEA (European Economic Area) countries that
collected all views on how best to make progress in implementing LL at local,
regional, and national levels. Section 1 provides an overview of these main
trends in the reports: balancing employability and active citizenship;
integrative versus sectoral approach; weak European dimension; and working
together. Section 2 has a short introduction that precedes thematic analyses
for each of the memorandum's six key messages (KMs). The order of the KMs
reflects these three broad categories of action required for effective
implementation of LL: essential preconditions for LL (KM1--New basic skills
for all; KM2--More investment in human resources); improving quality and
benefits of learning processes and outcomes (KM3--Innovation in teaching and
learning; KM4--Valuing learning); and providing learner-friendly contexts and
support services for LL and lifewide learning (KM5--Rethinking guidance and
counseling; KM6--Bringing learning closer to home). Section 3 highlights
these four issues that could contribute to further debate on implementing LL:
valuing nonformal and informal learning; curricular reform; technology and
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
pedagogy; and work-life balance. (Appendixes include materials and review
method and proposals for research and action contained in the member
state/EEA reports.)
(YLB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
on proce
Consu
e European
mission'
andum on lifelong learnin
is of national rep
An
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced
as
ived from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
Consultation process on the
European Commission's
Memorandum on lifelong learning
Analysis of national reports
Cedefop
Cedefop Panorama series; 23
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2002
3
A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet.
It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int).
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2002
ISBN 92-896-0127-2
ISSN 1562-6180
© European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2002
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Printed in Belgium
The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is the European
and
Union's reference Centre for vocational education and training. We provide information on
analyses of vocational education and training systems, policies, research and practice.
Cedefop was established in 1975 by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 337/75.
Europe 123
GR-57001 Thessaloniki (Pylea)
Postal Address:
PO Box 22427
GR-55102 Thessaloniki
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Homepage: www.cedefop.eu.int
Interactive website: www.trainingvillage.gr
Edited by:
Cedefop
Martina NI Cheallaigh, Project manager
Published under the responsibility of:
Johan van Rens, Director
Stavros Stavrou, Deputy Director
Preface
A year ago, the European Commission published a Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (1)
and invited the Member States of the European Union to launch, in the first half of 2001, a
consultation process. This process was to be conducted as close to the citizen as possible and
it was to involve the key actors responsible for implementing lifelong learning at local,
regional and national levels. The aim of the consultation process was to collect together all
views on how best to make progress in implementing lifelong learning, which is a priority
horizontal theme within the European Employment Guidelines and which provides the
overarching framework for the current generation of European education, training and youth
programmes. The outcomes of the consultation process were fed into the preparation of the
Communication from the European Commission Making a European Area of Lifelong
Learning a Reality (2).
The Directorate-General for Education and Culture asked Cedefop to undertake a review of
the Memorandum consultation reports received from the Member States and the EEA
countries (3). This document presents the outcome of that review, which is intended as
accompanying background information to the Communication itself. Brief information on the
nature of the reports and the review method can be found in Annex I (at the end of this
document).
The first section of this report provides a succinct overview of the main trends in the reports.
This is followed by thematic analyses for each of the Memorandum's six Key Messages,
preceded by a short introduction. These analyses do not include verbatim citations from the
Member State/EEA country reports, since all these texts are accessible through the Internet (4).
The report concludes with an epilogue on some issues that might have been addressed more
fully, whether in the Memorandum or in the reports prepared in response, in the interests of
contributing to further discussion.
The accession candidate countries were also invited to prepare reports as part of the
Memorandum consultation process. The European Training Foundation has prepared a review
of their contributions (5). In addition, the European Commission supported a wide-ranging
consultation of civil society interest groups and associations. Their contributions are brought
SEC(2000) 1832, 30 October 2000, Brussels.
Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality. Communication from the Commission, COM
(2001) 678 final, 21.11.2001, Brussels.
Liechtenstein did not ultimately forward a report.
See: www.europa.eu.int/conun/education/life/report_en.html.
Cross country report. The consultation on the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning in the candidate
countries / European Training Foundation. Turin, November, 2001.
1
6
together in a European conference report (6). These two reports therefore also provide
background information to accompany the Communication of the Commission, and should be
read alongside Cedefop's report to gain a full picture of the outcomes of the consultation
process.
Making Lifelong Learning a Reality: Consultation of civil society, 10 September 2001, Brussels.
(6)
7
2
Table of contents
Preface
1
3
Table of contents
Overview of the main trends in the Member State and EEA country reports
5
1.
Employability and active citizenship
5
1.1.
6
An integrative or sectoral approach?
1.2.
6
The European dimension
1.3.
7
Working together
1.4.
7
Criticisms of the Memorandum
1.5.
Balance between the key messages
8
1.6.
Thematic analyses by key message
11
2.
Introduction
11
2.1.
New basic skills for all
12
Key Message 1
2.2.
Basic skills
13
2.2.1.
Social inclusion 15
2.2.2.
More investment in human resources
15
Key Message 2
2.3.
Individual and social responsibilities
17
2.3.1.
Social Partners and company responsibilities
17
2.3.2.
Barriers and incentives
18
2.3.3.
Priorities and resource distribution
19
2.3.4.
Innovation in teaching and learning
19
Key Message 3
2.4.
21
Learning methods
2.4.1.
22
The potential of ICT
2.4.2.
23
Organising learning
2.4.3.
24
Valuing learning
Key Message 4
2.5.
24
Europe-wide approaches and practices
2.5.1.
25
Recognising non-formal and informal learning
2.5.2.
28
Rethinking guidance and counselling
Key Message 5
2.6.
28
Proactive and individualised services
2.6.1.
29
Positioning guidance and counselling services
2.6.2.
30
Quality and reach of services
2.6.3.
Bringing learning closer to home
31
Key Message 6
2.7.
32
Networks and partnerships
2.7.1.
33
Facilitating access
2.7.2.
Epilogue
3.
35
Valuing non-formal and informal learning
3.1.
35
Curricular reform
3.2.
36
Technology and pedagogy
3.3.
36
Work-life balance
3.4.
37
Materials and review method
Annex I:
39
Annex II:
Proposals for research and action contained in the Member State/EEA reports
41
Bibliography
47